The Epiphany of the Lord
Lectionary: 20
Lectionary: 20
Rise up in
splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Responsorial PsalmPS 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.
R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Reading 2EPH 3:2-3A, 5-6
Brothers and
sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
AlleluiaMT 2:2
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 2:1-12
When Jesus was born
in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
Scripture Study
January 4, 2015 Epiphany of the Lord
While most of the Church celebrates the Epiphany
of the Lord on Jan. 6, we in the United States celebrate it this Sunday. The
feast of the Epiphany was one of the original forms in which the Christian
people celebrated the incarnation of Christ. It has been celebrated much longer
than Christmas and in many parts of the world it is still a bigger celebration
than Christmas. Epiphany means manifestation or showing forth. In this action
of the Lord showing himself to the Gentiles, the church sees an invitation to
all the nations and peoples of the earth to come out of the darkness of sin and
fear in which they have been and to step into the wonderful light of Christ.
There, in company with the wise men of old, all the nations of the earth will
praise the love and glory of the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
1 Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the
Lord shines upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth, and thick
clouds cover the peoples; But upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears
his glory. 3 Nations shall walk by your light, and
kings by your shining radiance. 4 Raise your eyes
and look about; they all gather and come to you: Your sons come from afar, and
your daughters in the arms of their nurses. 5 Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall
throb and overflow, For the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. 6 Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian
and Ephah; All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and
proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
NOTES on First Reading:
The Church sees the symbols of her universality
in these verses.
* 60:1-3 These three verses form a song of
introduction to the procession of all parts of the world to Zion for the
rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. The song opens with a double imperative.
The song concentrates on God’s radiating dazzling presence within the city. The
word, “glory”, as a noun or adjective is used nine times in this chapter.
* 60:4-9 In this section all of the nations come
to Jerusalem not simply to receive instruction at the Lord’s Temple as in Isa
2:2-4; Mic 4:1-3 but to rebuild the city. Isa 49:18;22 are quoted almost
verbatim.
* 60:6 Nations from the Arabian peninsula
associated with Abraham and the earliest ancestral days of Israel now will
return to participate in the rebuilding. One day all nations will become God’s
children through faith. Matt 2:1-12 weaves these themes into his narrative of
the visit by the wise men. See: Gen 25:1-4; 13-15; 28:9;36:3; Jer 6:20; Ezek
27:21; Rom 4:17.
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
2 I suppose, you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit, 3 (namely, that) the
mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier. 4 When you read this you can understand my insight into the
mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to human beings
in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and
prophets by the Spirit, 6that the Gentiles are
coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ
Jesus through the gospel.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 3:1-6 Here the writer portrays himself as the
revealer of the mystery of Christ and reflects on his mission to the Gentiles.
Paul’s special insight is that Gentiles have a place of full participation in
the Church. In verse 1 Paul refers to himself as a prisoner for Christ and then
leaves an incomplete sentence in the Greek never getting back to this thought.
* 3:2 Writer assumes that the hearers or readers
have already heard that of which he is about to remind them.
* 3:3b-4 The last part of verse 3 and all of
verse 4 is omitted from the reading. I left them in for completeness and ease
of study.
* 3:5 Here the writer refers to the church being
founded on the apostles and prophets.
* 3:6 The use of three nouns combined with the
prefix, “SYN”, “together”, highlights the equality of the Jews and Gentiles in
the new people of God, the Church.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12
1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of
King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star
at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the
scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has
been written through the prophet: 6 ‘And you,
Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from
them the time of the star’s appearance. 8 He sent them to
Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have
found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold,
the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and
stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his
mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their
treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
NOTES on Gospel:
* 2:1 The birth of Jesus is immediately put into
relationship with the wider world and the political and social realities of
that world. Israel’s future rejection of Jesus and his acceptance by the
Gentiles are foreshadowed in this scene.
Herod the Great was a vassal king (rex socius)
under the Roman Emperor and reigned at the pleasure of the emperor from 37 to 4
BC. See Luke 1:5. The events related of Herod here in Mat 2 are not attested in
other documents but are quite in keeping with what is known of Herod’s
character.
The word, Magi, was originally a designation for
the Persian priestly caste and refers to a class of wise men associated in
varying degrees with astrology, interpretation of dreams and with magic. Kings
were not generally included in this group. The notion that the wise men were
kings was derived in later Christian tradition from the influence of the
literal interpretation of Ps 72:10; Isa 49:7; 60:10. The number of wise men is
inferred from the three gifts. The wise men have always been seen as
representatives of the Gentile world who come to Christ.
* 2:2 Here Jesus is ascribed a royal title. In
the ancient world it was a common belief that a new star appeared at the time
of a ruler’s birth. This also calls to mind the story of Balaam, who had
prophesied that “A star shall advance from Jacob,” Numbers 24:17. There however
the star means the king himself not an astronomical phenomenon.
* 2:3-4 This parallels an extra biblical Jewish
legend about the child Moses in which the “sacred scribes” warn Pharaoh about
the imminent birth of one who will deliver Israel from Egypt and the king makes
plans to destroy him.
* 2:5 The tiny town of Bethlehem, the city of
the humble King David is contrasted with the splendor of Jerusalem, the royal
capital.
* 2:6 In spite of this prophecy from Micah 5:2
(or 5:3 in some translations) there does not seem to have been any popular
expectation that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. See John 7:42.
Matthew changes the original quotation from “clans of Judah” to “rulers of
Judah” in order to make the messianic point more strongly. He also adds “who
will shepherd my people, Israel” from 2 Sam 5:2; 1 Chron 11:2.
* 2:11 The list of gifts is influenced by Isa
60:6, 11,13; and Ps 72:10-11. In later tradition, the gold came to symbolize
the kingship of Christ, the incense His Divinity and myrrh His redemptive
suffering.
Meditation: "They fell down and worshiped Jesus"
If Jesus truly is who
he claims to be, the eternal Son of God and Savior of the world, then why is he
not recognized by everyone who hears his word and sees his works? John the
Evangelist states that when Jesus came into the world the world knew
him not and his own people received him not (John 1:10-11). Jesus was
born in obscurity. Only the lowly shepherds recognized him at his birth. Some
wise men also found their way to Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn King of
Israel. These men were not Israelites, but foreigners. They likely had read and
discussed the Messianic prophecies and were anxious to see when this Messianic
King would appear. God led them by means of an extraordinary star across the
desert to the little town of Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
John Chrysostom
(347-407), in his homily on this passage from Matthew 2, explains the
significance of the star of Bethlehem:
"Note how fitting
was the order of events: the wise men saw the star, were received by the Jews
and their king; they heard prophecy to explain what had appeared; the angel
instructed them; and then they journeyed from Jerusalem to Bethlehem by the
guidance of the star. From all this we learn that this was not an ordinary
star, for no other star has this capacity to guide, not merely to move but to
beckon, to “go before them,” drawing and guiding them along their way. The star
remained after bringing them to the place, in order that the child might also
be seen. For there is nothing conspicuous about the place. The inn was
ordinary. The mother was not celebrated or notable. The star was needed to
manifest and illumine the lowly place, until they had reached their destination
at the manger." [The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 7:3]
In their thirst for
knowledge of God, the wise men from the East willingly left everything, their
home and country, in pursuit of that quest. In their diligent search they were
led to the source of true knowledge - to Jesus Christ, the Light and Wisdom of
God. When they found the newborn King they humbly worshiped him and gave him
gifts fitting for a king.
The Lord of the
universe who revealed the star of Bethlehem to the Gentiles of the East so they
could come and worship Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and King of
Kings (Revelations 19:16), gives each one of us the same light of revelation to
recognize and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Faith is an entirely free
gift that God makes to us. It is through the help of the Holy Spirit, who moves
the heart and opens the eyes of the mind, that we are able to understand, accept,
and believe the truth which God has revealed to us through his Son, Jesus
Christ. In faith, the human will and intellect cooperate with grace. "Believing
is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will
moved by God through grace" (Thomas Aquinas).
To know and to
encounter Jesus Christ is to know God personally. In the encounter of the wise
men with Jesus we see the plan of God to give his only Son as King and Savior,
not just for the Jewish people but for all the nations as well. The Lord Jesus
came that both Jew and Gentile might find true and lasting peace with
God. Let us pray today that Jew and Gentile alike will find the Lord and
Savior on their journey of life. Do you bring the light of Jesus Christ to those
you meet through the witness of your life and testimony?
"Lord Jesus
Christ, we thank you for bringing salvation to all the nations. May the gospel
of salvation be proclaimed to every nation today and to every person on the
face of the earth. Help me to be a good witness of the joy of the gospel
to all I meet."
SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, MATTHEW 2:1-12
(Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, MATTHEW 2:1-12
(Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6)
KEY VERSE: "We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage" (v 2).
READING: Matthew wrote his gospel to a Jewish audience to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of their longings for a Messiah (see genealogy, Mt 1:1-17). He also wanted to show that God's salvation would reach "to the end of the earth" (Is 49:6). Matthew communicated this intention by having gentiles (Greek, ethnos) coming to visit the Holy Family in Bethlehem. These "wise men" (Greek: magi) are thought to have been astrologers of the Zoroastrian religion. They believed that a new star signaled the birth of a ruler. They followed the star to Jerusalem where they asked King Herod the Great where they could find the newborn king of the Jews because they "observed his star at its rising" (Nm 24:17). Herod's advisors told him that the prophet Micah foretold the birth of a Messiah in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David where he was also anointed king (Mi 5:2). Fearing that this child would be a threat to his throne, Herod sent the magi to search for the newborn king on the pretense of offering him homage. The star illuminated the way to the Christ child and Mary his mother. The magi offered him gifts that signified his kingship (gold), priesthood (frankincense) and his saving death (myrrh, used in anointing the dead). The magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they returned "by another way" (v 12). We are all invited to discover the Lord through the different journeys of faith we undertake; however, after encountering Christ we cannot return to our old ways. We must travel in a different direction--the path that leads to Jesus.
REFLECTING: What are the gifts that I can offer the Lord?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to seek you in all I do.
NOTE: The word "epiphany" means a manifestation or an appearance of a supernatural being. Because the magi brought three gifts, legend made them "three kings," and they were given the names of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
Sunday 4 January 2015
Epiphany. W.
Isaiah 60:1-6. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you—Ps 71(72):1-2, 7-8, 10-13. Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6. Matthew 2:1-12.
Isaiah 60:1-6. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you—Ps 71(72):1-2, 7-8, 10-13. Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6. Matthew 2:1-12.
Readings
‘We saw his star …’
We all have to make the
journey of the magi, to bring our worldly wisdom to the foot of the simple,
innocent child. The wise men of the East brought gifts to the child: little did
they realise what they were to be given!
In our own lives,
whenever we show kindness, thankfulness, courtesy, love, hope, we find that we
have so much more given to us in the experience of giving.
It is wisdom to see the
world and all it contains—people, animals, plants, stars, moon, sun, times,
persons, places—with the vision of God, the creator of all that is.
Lord, help me that I may
touch the wonder of your presence in all that lives and moves and has its
being.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Living Peacefully
|
Filled with the Holy Spirit, St. Francis was constantly joyful.
Because of this, his words touched people’s hearts. Living peacefully requires
that we recognize outright lies and seductive half-truths that we encounter.
What we watch on TV and other forms of entertainment, or how we use social
media can build up or tear down peace.
January
4
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
(1774-1821)
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
(1774-1821)
Mother Seton is one of the keystones of the American Catholic
Church. She founded the first American religious community for women, the
Sisters of Charity. She opened the first American parish school and established
the first American Catholic orphanage. All this she did in the span of 46 years
while raising her five children.
Elizabeth
Ann Bayley Seton is a true daughter of the American Revolution, born August 28,
1774, just two years before the Declaration of Independence. By birth and
marriage, she was linked to the first families of New York and enjoyed the
fruits of high society. Reared a staunch Episcopalian by her mother and
stepmother, she learned the value of prayer, Scripture and a nightly
examination of conscience. Her father, Dr. Richard Bayley, did not have much
use for churches but was a great humanitarian, teaching his daughter to love
and serve others.
The early
deaths of her mother in 1777 and her baby sister in 1778 gave Elizabeth a feel
for eternity and the temporariness of the pilgrim life on earth. Far from being
brooding and sullen, she faced each new “holocaust,” as she put it, with
hopeful cheerfulness.
At 19,
Elizabeth was the belle of New York and married a handsome, wealthy
businessman, William Magee Seton. They had five children before his business
failed and he died of tuberculosis. At 30, Elizabeth was widowed, penniless,
with five small children to support.
While in
Italy with her dying husband, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through
family friends. Three basic points led her to become a Catholic: belief in the
Real Presence, devotion to the Blessed Mother and conviction that the Catholic
Church led back to the apostles and to Christ. Many of her family and friends
rejected her when she became a Catholic in March 1805.
To
support her children, she opened a school in Baltimore. From the beginning, her
group followed the lines of a religious community, which was officially founded
in 1809.
The
thousand or more letters of Mother Seton reveal the development of her
spiritual life from ordinary goodness to heroic sanctity. She suffered great
trials of sickness, misunderstanding, the death of loved ones (her husband and
two young daughters) and the heartache of a wayward son. She died January 4,
1821, and became the first American-born citizen to be beatified (1963) and
then canonized (1975). She is buried in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Comment:
Elizabeth Seton had no extraordinary gifts. She was not a mystic or stigmatic. She did not prophesy or speak in tongues. She had two great devotions: abandonment to the will of God and an ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament. She wrote to a friend, Julia Scott, that she would prefer to exchange the world for a “cave or a desert.” “But God has given me a great deal to do, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” Her brand of sanctity is open to everyone if we love God and do his will.
Elizabeth Seton had no extraordinary gifts. She was not a mystic or stigmatic. She did not prophesy or speak in tongues. She had two great devotions: abandonment to the will of God and an ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament. She wrote to a friend, Julia Scott, that she would prefer to exchange the world for a “cave or a desert.” “But God has given me a great deal to do, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” Her brand of sanctity is open to everyone if we love God and do his will.
Quote:
Elizabeth Seton told her sisters, “The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.”
Elizabeth Seton told her sisters, “The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.”
Patron Saint of:
Loss of parents
Loss of parents
LECTIO DIVINA:
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
The
Magi’s journey of faith
The adoration of the child Jesus as King and Lord
Matthew 2: 1-12
The adoration of the child Jesus as King and Lord
Matthew 2: 1-12
1.
Opening prayer
Merciful Father, you have called me to meet you in this word of the Gospel, because you wish that I may have life, you wish to give me yourself. Send, I pray you, your Holy Spirit upon me so that I may let myself be led along the holy way of this passage of Scripture. May I, today, get out of my prison to set out on a journey to seek you. May I recognise the star that you have lit as a sign of your love on my journey to follow it tirelessly, intensely, committing my whole life. May I, finally, enter your house and there see the Lord; may I bend low humbly before you to adore you and offer my life to you, all that I am and all that I have. Lord, by your grace, may I return by a new route, without ever passing through the old paths of sin.
Merciful Father, you have called me to meet you in this word of the Gospel, because you wish that I may have life, you wish to give me yourself. Send, I pray you, your Holy Spirit upon me so that I may let myself be led along the holy way of this passage of Scripture. May I, today, get out of my prison to set out on a journey to seek you. May I recognise the star that you have lit as a sign of your love on my journey to follow it tirelessly, intensely, committing my whole life. May I, finally, enter your house and there see the Lord; may I bend low humbly before you to adore you and offer my life to you, all that I am and all that I have. Lord, by your grace, may I return by a new route, without ever passing through the old paths of sin.
2. Reading
a)
Placing the passage in its context:
This
passage belongs to the first two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, which constitute
a kind of prologue to the whole work. Here we are presented with the historical
origin of the Messiah as son of David, as well as his divine origin as Jesus
Christ, God-with-us. Matthew immediately leads us into a very deep and engaging
meditation, placing before us a precise choice through the persons he
introduces in his story: we either recognise and welcome the Lord who is just
born, or we remain indifferent even to wanting to eliminate him, kill him. This
passage offers us the beautiful story of the journey of the Magi, who come from
afar because they want to seek and welcome, love and adore the Lord Jesus. But
their long journey and tireless search, the conversion of their heart are facts
that speak of us, facts already written on the scroll of our own sacred story.
b) An
aid to the reading of the passage:
The
passage may be divided into two main parts, determined by the locality where
the scenes take place: the first part (2: 1-9a) takes place in Jerusalem,
whereas the second part is focussed around Bethlehem (2: 9b-12).
Mt 2: 1-2: The passage begins with precise indications as to the place and time of the birth of Jesus: in Bethlehem of Judea, at the time of king Herod. Within this quite specific description, the Magi suddenly appear, who, coming from afar, arrive in Jerusalem under the guidance of a star. It is they who announce the birth of the Lord king. They ask where they might find him because they wish to adore him.
Mt 2: 3-6: On hearing the words of the Magi, king Herod, and with him all of Jerusalem is disturbed and afraid. Rather than welcoming the Lord and opting for him, they seek to eliminate him. Herod calls the authorities of the Jewish people and the experts in Scripture. It is they, by the help of ancient prophecies, who speak and reveal Bethlehem as the place to find the Messiah.
Mt 2: 7-8: Herod calls the Magi in secret because he wants to use them for his own evil ends. His detailed interest is entirely directed towards the elimination of Christ.
Mt 2: 9a: The Magi, urged by strength of faith and led by the star, leave again and go towards Bethlehem.
Mt 2: 9b-11: The star reappears, moves with the Magi and leads them to the exact spot where the Lord Jesus is. Full of joy, they enter the house and prostrate themselves; they offer precious gifts because they recognise that he is king and Lord.
Mt 2: 12: When they have contemplated and adored the Lord, the Magi receive a revelation from God; it is He who speaks to them. They are new men; they have in them a new heaven and a new earth. They are free of the deceits of Herod and, therefore, they go back to their lives by an entirely new way
Mt 2: 1-2: The passage begins with precise indications as to the place and time of the birth of Jesus: in Bethlehem of Judea, at the time of king Herod. Within this quite specific description, the Magi suddenly appear, who, coming from afar, arrive in Jerusalem under the guidance of a star. It is they who announce the birth of the Lord king. They ask where they might find him because they wish to adore him.
Mt 2: 3-6: On hearing the words of the Magi, king Herod, and with him all of Jerusalem is disturbed and afraid. Rather than welcoming the Lord and opting for him, they seek to eliminate him. Herod calls the authorities of the Jewish people and the experts in Scripture. It is they, by the help of ancient prophecies, who speak and reveal Bethlehem as the place to find the Messiah.
Mt 2: 7-8: Herod calls the Magi in secret because he wants to use them for his own evil ends. His detailed interest is entirely directed towards the elimination of Christ.
Mt 2: 9a: The Magi, urged by strength of faith and led by the star, leave again and go towards Bethlehem.
Mt 2: 9b-11: The star reappears, moves with the Magi and leads them to the exact spot where the Lord Jesus is. Full of joy, they enter the house and prostrate themselves; they offer precious gifts because they recognise that he is king and Lord.
Mt 2: 12: When they have contemplated and adored the Lord, the Magi receive a revelation from God; it is He who speaks to them. They are new men; they have in them a new heaven and a new earth. They are free of the deceits of Herod and, therefore, they go back to their lives by an entirely new way
c) The
text:
1 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in
Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem
from the east 2 asking, 'Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star
as it rose and have come to do him homage.'
3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.'
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared 8 and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.' 9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. 10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, 11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.'
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared 8 and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.' 9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. 10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, 11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
I listen deeply to the silent voice of the
Lord and let the breath of the Spirit come to me and infuse me. In this silence
I seek the Lord and repeat in my heart: “Where are you, my God?”
4. A few questions
a) I take the first words that come from the
mouths of the Magi and make them my own: “Where is the infant king of the
Jews?” Do I really feel attracted to the place where the Lord is because I
desire to be with him? Am I ready to leave the dark and old places of my
habits, of my comfort, to undertake a journey of faith in search of Jesus?
b) “We have come to adore him”. Here the Word of the Lord tests me, puts me through a crucible: do I really live in a relationship of love with God? Am I able to open my life in his presence and allow him to enter into my very heart-beats?
b) “We have come to adore him”. Here the Word of the Lord tests me, puts me through a crucible: do I really live in a relationship of love with God? Am I able to open my life in his presence and allow him to enter into my very heart-beats?
c) “From you will come a leader who will shepherd my people”. Am I capable of placing and giving my whole existence to the guidance of the Lord, to trust in him, in his love, in his so real presence even though he remains invisible?
d) “Going into the house they saw the child”. It is precisely because they accept to go into the house, to enter into communion, to give themselves fully and truly that their eyes can see, contemplate and recognise. Why is it that I am not aware of the fact that the more I stay outside, the more I am distant from the life of my brothers and sisters and the more I become sad and empty?
5. A key to the reading
I look for some key words, some basic themes,
that may guide and help me better penetrate the meaning of this passage of the
Gospel, so that my life may be enlightened and changed by this Word of the
Lord.
* The journey: This passage seems to be shot through
with the grand theme of a journey, an exodus, a going out. The Magi, these
mysterious characters, get moving, go far away from their land and go seeking
the king, the Lord. Matthew presents this fact by means of some verbs that
proceed along development of the event: came, we have come, sent them, go,
set out, went before them, going into,not to go
back, returned. The physical journey of the Magi hides a much more
important and meaningful journey, the journey of faith. This is the movement of
the soul born from a desire to meet and know the Lord. At the same time it is
God’s invitation, who calls and attracts us with his own power; it is he who
gets us to stand up and sets us in motion, who offers us signs and does not
cease to walk with us. Scripture gives us many important examples and these
help us enter into this path of grace and blessings. To Abraham God
said: “Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I
will show you” (Gen 12: 1). Jacob too was a pilgrim of faith
and conversion; in fact, of him is written: “Jacob left Beersheba and set out
for Haran” (Gen 28: 10) and: “Moving on, Jacob went to the land of the sons of
the East” (Gen 29: 1). Many years later, the Lord spoke to him and said: “Go
back to the land of your forefathers and to your kindred; and I will be with
you” (Gen 31: 3). Moses too was a man on a journey; God himself showed him the
way, the exodus, in his heart, in his depths, and made of his whole life a long
march of salvation for him and for his brothers and sisters: “So come, I send
you to Pharaoh to bring the sons of Israel, my people, out of Egypt!” (Ex 3:
10). Also the new people of God, we the children of the promise and of the new
covenant, are called to go out all the time and to set out on a journey in the
footsteps of the Lord Jesus. The exodus never ceased; the liberation that comes
from faith is still always active. Let us look at Jesus, at his apostles, at
Paul: not one of them stands still, not one of them hides. All these witnesses
speak to us today by their deeds and they repeat: “Blessed is he who finds in
you his strength and one who decides in his heart to go on the holy journey”
(Ps 83: 6).
* The star: This is a very
important and central element in this passage because the star has the role of
guiding the Magi to their destination, of enlightening their nights along the
journey, of indicating precisely the place of the presence of the Lord, of
giving great joy to their hearts. Throughout the Bible, stars appear as signs
of blessing and glory, almost a personification of God, who does not abandon
his people, and, at the same time, a personification of the people that does
not forget its God and praises and blesses him (cfr. Ps 148: 3; Bar 3: 34). The
word star appears for the first time in Scripture in Genesis
1: 16, when, on the fourth day, the story of creation tells us of the
appearance in the heavens of the sun, the moon and stars, as signs and as
light, to set order and give light. The Jewish term for “star” kokhab is
very beautiful and full of meaning. In fact, the letters that make up the word
reveal the immensity of the presence that these celestial elements bring with
them. We find two letters caf, which signify “hand” and
which enclose the letter waw, which means man, understood in his
vital structure, in his backbone, which keeps him erect, which makes him rise
towards heaven, towards contact with his God and Creator. Thus, within the
stars there are two hands, caf and caf, that lovingly hold within
them waw, man: these are the hands of God that never cease to
hold us, if only we entrust ourselves to them. Then appears the letter bet,
which means house. Thus the stars speak to us of our journey towards our house,
of our constant migrating from and returning there, whence we have come, from
the day of our creation and even from all eternity. Often God compares the
descendants of Abraham to the stars in the heavens, almost as if each person is
a star, born to give light in the night: “Look up to heaven and count the stars
if you can” and then he adds: “Such will be your descendants” (Gen 15: 5).
Jesus also is a star, the star that takes its rise from Jacob (Num 24: 17),
that rises from on high, that is the radiant morning star, as the Apocalypse
says (22: 16). In fact, in him has taken flesh the infinite love of God, which
bends itself down towards us, his children, and opens the palms of his hands to
gather and welcome us. Only such love can give our infinite weakness the
capacity and courage, the perseverance and joy of accepting to leave, to go on
the long and arduous journey of faith, which takes us to Bethlehem, to the
place where God appears to us.
* The adoration: The act of adoration is as old as humankind
itself, because since the beginning, the relationship with the divinity has
been accompanied by this demand of love, of humility, of self-offering. Before
the greatness of God, we, little people, feel and discover that we are nothing,
a speck of dust, a drop from a bucket. In the Old Testament, the act of
adoration appears as an act of deep love towards the Lord, an act that demands
the involvement of the whole person: the mind, the will to choose, love full of
desire and a body that bows and prostrates itself even to the ground. It is
said in several places that the act of adoration is accompanied by a
prostration with the face touching the ground; the face of man, his gaze, his
breath returns to the dust whence he has his origin and there he recognises
himself as creature of God, as a breath of God’s nostrils. “Come in, let us
bow, prostrate ourselves, and kneel in front of Yahweh our maker” (Ps 94: 6):
this is the invitation of Scripture to us every day, showing us the way to walk
so that we may again and again come to the truth and so live fully.
The New Testament goes even deeper in its spiritual reflection on this fact and seems to want to accompany us on a pedagogical journey of conversion and of maturity in our interior life. In the Gospels we see the disciples, men and women, adoring the Lord Jesus after his resurrection (Mt 28: 9; Lk 24: 52), because they recognise him as God. Jesus’ words in his dialogue with the Samaritan woman give us a deep insight into the truth of this act, which, after all, involves the whole of life and is an attitude of the heart: adoration is for God the Father and does not happen here or there but in Spirit and in truth, that is, in the Spirit and the Son, Jesus. We must not deceive ourselves; it is not by moving from one place to another, nor by seeking this or that spiritual person that we can adore our God. The movement, the journey is an interior one and takes place in our deepest being and is a complete surrender of ourselves, our life, our whole being, to the wings of the Holy Spirit and into the arms of Jesus, wide open on the cross and ever ready to attract all things to himself. St. Peter says clearly: “Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts” (1 Pt 3: 15). The act of bowing to the ground, of prostrating ourselves before the Lord comes from the heart. If we let ourselves be touched and reach into our hearts, if we allow the Lord to enter our hearts, that sacred space, then He will change us completely, transform the whole of our person and make of us new men and women.
The New Testament goes even deeper in its spiritual reflection on this fact and seems to want to accompany us on a pedagogical journey of conversion and of maturity in our interior life. In the Gospels we see the disciples, men and women, adoring the Lord Jesus after his resurrection (Mt 28: 9; Lk 24: 52), because they recognise him as God. Jesus’ words in his dialogue with the Samaritan woman give us a deep insight into the truth of this act, which, after all, involves the whole of life and is an attitude of the heart: adoration is for God the Father and does not happen here or there but in Spirit and in truth, that is, in the Spirit and the Son, Jesus. We must not deceive ourselves; it is not by moving from one place to another, nor by seeking this or that spiritual person that we can adore our God. The movement, the journey is an interior one and takes place in our deepest being and is a complete surrender of ourselves, our life, our whole being, to the wings of the Holy Spirit and into the arms of Jesus, wide open on the cross and ever ready to attract all things to himself. St. Peter says clearly: “Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts” (1 Pt 3: 15). The act of bowing to the ground, of prostrating ourselves before the Lord comes from the heart. If we let ourselves be touched and reach into our hearts, if we allow the Lord to enter our hearts, that sacred space, then He will change us completely, transform the whole of our person and make of us new men and women.
6. A moment of prayer: Psalm 84
A hymn concerning the trust of man
on his journey to the house of God
on his journey to the house of God
Res. I have seen your star, Lord,
and I have come to adore you!
and I have come to adore you!
How lovely are your dwelling-places, Yahweh Sabaoth.
My whole being yearns and pines for Yahweh's courts,
My heart and my body cry out for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
the swallow a nest to place its young: your altars,
Yahweh Sabaoth, my King and my God.
How blessed are those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of the Balsam,
they make there a water-hole,
and -- a further blessing -- early rain fills it.
They make their way from height to height,
God shows himself to them in Zion.
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, hear my prayer,
listen, God of Jacob.
God, our shield, look,
and see the face of your anointed.
Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices,
to stand on the threshold of God's house
than to live in the tents of the wicked.
For Yahweh God is a rampart and shield,
he gives grace and glory;
Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless.
Yahweh Sabaoth,
blessed is he who trusts in you.
My whole being yearns and pines for Yahweh's courts,
My heart and my body cry out for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
the swallow a nest to place its young: your altars,
Yahweh Sabaoth, my King and my God.
How blessed are those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of the Balsam,
they make there a water-hole,
and -- a further blessing -- early rain fills it.
They make their way from height to height,
God shows himself to them in Zion.
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, hear my prayer,
listen, God of Jacob.
God, our shield, look,
and see the face of your anointed.
Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices,
to stand on the threshold of God's house
than to live in the tents of the wicked.
For Yahweh God is a rampart and shield,
he gives grace and glory;
Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless.
Yahweh Sabaoth,
blessed is he who trusts in you.
7. Closing prayer
Lord, my Father, I have really seen your star,
I have opened my eyes to your presence of love and salvation and I have
received the light of life. I have contemplated the night changed into light,
pain into joy and solitude into communion; yes, all this happened before you,
in your Word. You have led me through the desert; you have led me to your house
and opened the door for me to enter. There I saw you, your Son Jesus, Saviour
of my life; there I prayed and adored, I cried and found your smile, I kept
silence and learnt to speak. In your house, merciful Father, I have found life
once more!
And now I am going back, I have resumed my journey, but the way is not the one I took before and my life is not what it was before. Your Word has left me with a new heart, capable of opening itself to love, to listen, to welcome and become home to so many brothers and sisters whom you have placed in my way. I was not aware, Lord, but you have made me into a child again, you have given birth to me with Jesus. Thank you, Father, my Father!
And now I am going back, I have resumed my journey, but the way is not the one I took before and my life is not what it was before. Your Word has left me with a new heart, capable of opening itself to love, to listen, to welcome and become home to so many brothers and sisters whom you have placed in my way. I was not aware, Lord, but you have made me into a child again, you have given birth to me with Jesus. Thank you, Father, my Father!
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